Knowledge (Religion)
In the beginning, there were Two: Creation and her brother, Destruction. Creation was a being of grace, light, warmth, and life. Destruction, one of mischief, darkness, cold, and entropy. The two had been at odds as long as either could remember; Creation would bring something into being and Destruction would shatter it. This cycle repeated until Creation brought forth the multiverse, as we know it, and used all of her power to imprison Her mischievous brother. But in Her mercy and love, Creation brought forth the gods to watch over and safeguard her works. But Destruction was wily, and he created beings of pure chaos, called the Primordials. Like their father, the Primordials began to rampage through all of creation, tearing and sundering. The gods went to war against the Primordials, in a conflict known as The Dawn War. After much fighting, the gods defeated the Primordials, imprisoning them beyond time and space. But there were some gods who were deceived; corrupted by the Primordials and their hearts turned to darkness, becoming the Titans. These gods plotted and schemed to release the Primordials. During this time, the gods took their time to create the races; Corellon Larethian awoke her elves, Moradin forged his Dwarves upon the Forge of Creation, and the humans first gazed upon Pelor's light. Obad-Hai called forth the beasts and birds. The gods and their creations lived in harmony for some time, until the Titans sprang their trap, resulting in a second divine war known as the Sundering. The Sundering resulted in the gods imprisoning the Titans at the cost of exiling themselves from the Material Plane forever through the creation of the Door of Heaven. The Gods The circle of the gods involves the leaders and luminary creators that battled the Primordials and the Titans, and forged the mortal races of Tyrind. They represent a spectrum of light, protection, love, death, and all other facets of freedom and life in the world. While some gods may disagree and squabble over domains and intent, they exist in a subtle alliance to maintain the sanctity of life and their respective creation. The Allhammer (LG) * Domains: Earth, Knowledge, Protection, War * Other Names: ''Moradin (Dharrenal), Torag (Eleroth), Onatar (Maezar) The patron of the Dwarves and god of craft and creation, the Allhammer is worshipped by smiths, artisans, and miners alike, granting inspiration where respect and prayer are given. He is said to have shaped the mountains from the chaos of Creation, and stands are a protector of home and family. There is fierce devotion to the Allhammer among the dwarven people, who the Allhammer is said to have created at the same time as the mountains themselves. Temples to the Allhammer, which are always built around massive, ritual forges and anvils, mark the center of any dwarven settlement or stronghold. Many guild halls and workshops contain images of the Allhammer. He is often seen as a gruff and wise figure and he is often seen as the craftsman of the gods. The Allhammer is seen as immensely powerful and harbors a deep hatred of orcs and goblins. the Allhammer and the Archeart are said to be rivals. The Allhammer’s primary holy say is Deep Solace, and is celebrated on the eighteenth day of the fifth month. Especially devout followers spend the day in isolation, meditating on the meaning of family and how they may be better mothers, fathers, siblings, and children. More commonly, especially in dwarven thaigs, the dwarves celebrate with a full day of feasting and drinking, a time of rest meant to be spent with clan and kin. ''Commandments of the Allhammer * Remain stoic and tenacious in the face of catastrophe. Stand firm to your last breath. * Uphold and promote loyalty to family, loyalty to clan, and loyalty to your people. * Legacy is paramount. To create something that lasts the ages is to change the world for the better. The Archeart (CG) * Domains: Animal, Healing, Magic, Plants * Other Names: ''Corellon Larethian (Dharrenal), Selune (Eleroth), Desna (Maezar) Guardian over the spheres of spring, beauty, and the arts, the Archeart is the deity of arcane magic and the fey. They once wandered the twisted lands, seeding them with the first arcane magics and raising the first, ancient forests. It was by the Archeart’s hand that the first elves wandered from the Feywild, and for this reason they are considered the Patron of all Elves. Those who seek art in all their work, whether magic or mundane, often worship at the altar of the the Archeart. They loathe the Spider Queen and her priestesses for leading the Drow astray. Most modern tapestries and tomes depict the Archeart as an androgynous elven figure of impossible grace and beauty framed by long wavy golden hair. They have been the inspiration for many early elven art pieces, and it’s not uncommon to find elements of their visage or symbol included in most elven architecture. The Archeart’s holy day is called '''Elvendawn', or Midsummer. It is celebrated on the twentieth day of the sixth month, and celebrates the elves’ first awakening on the Material Plane. In Illan, the elves build magical wards in certain spaces and celebrate with uncharacteristic vigor of the wild fey. Commandments of the Archeart * Create, inspire, and find beauty in all that you do. * Follow the echoes of lost magics, forgotten sites, and ancient art, for within these lie the Corellon Larethian’s first works. * Combat the followers of the Spider Queen wherever they may be. The Dawnfather (NG) * Domains: Good, Healing, Sun, Weather * Other Names: Pelor (Dharrenal), Lathander (Eleroth), Rho (Maezar) Also called “The Morninglord”, the Dawnfather stands lord over sun and summer his vigil encircling the ages as the keeper of time. Lord of agriculture and harbinger of the harvest, his followers include most smallfolk; indeed, the Dawnfather is the most widespread and influential god worshipped in Dharrenal and Eleroth. Supporter of the needy and destroyer of evil, the Dawnfather is often the patron to warriors who follow a similar creed. The Dawnfather is known for his victory over the Chained Oblivion, and is revered by those who hunt aberrations and undead. Tapestries of old depict the Dawnfatherr as a fatherly figure in silver and gold mail, his head a shining beacon of light and fire. Many statues in holy places treat the head as a brazier, lit with each dawn and extinguished with the dusk. The Dawnfather’s main holy day is called Highsummer, and takes place on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. The entire week is celebrated with gift-giving and feasting. Festivities begin on Highsummer Day and end at midnight on the twenty-first. In smaller settlements, the feast of Highsummer is instead a festival of lights around a large tree, decorated with candles. Gift-giving is traditional. Most people choose to spend Highsummer with their families, recounting the small things they are thankful for. Commandments of the Dawnfather * Be ever vigilant for evil. People are quick to forget the lessons of the past. * Help relieve the suffering of the innocent wherever it exists. * Deliver light wherever darkness dwells, with kindness, compassion, and mercy. The Everlight (NG) * Domains: Good, Community, Dream, Healing * Other Names: ''Yondalla (Dharrenal), Sarenrae (Eleroth), Elda (Maezar) The Everlight is the goddess of compassion, redemption, and the hearth. Her message is one of understanding and optimism in even the darkest of places. She believes the corrupt can be redeemed, a mindset that led to a betrayal by the Lord of the Hells that allowed the Titans a powerful blow against the gods. Her followers are often rural healers and judges, and community philosophers, becoming the voice of reason and empathy in angry and cynical times. Worship of the Everlight has become widespread among the halfling people, to the point that she is considered the patron of the race. She did not create the halflings, as far as anyone knows, but their beliefs line up well. The Everlight’s primary holy day is Thank’s Day, which takes place on the twenty-seventh day of the eleventh month. The day is one of rest and feasting, where families come together and discuss the things they are thankful for. It is also a day to forgive others and pardon debts. ''Commandments of the Everlight * Lead with mercy, patience, and compassion. Inspire others to unite in fellowship. * Aid those who are without guidance. Heal those who are without hope. * Those who are beyond redemption, who revel in slaughter and remorseless evil, must meet swift justice. The Green Shepherd (N) * Domains: Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Water * Other Names: ''Obad-Hai (Dharrenal), Silvanus (Eleroth), Gozreh (Maezar) The realm of the Green Shepherd extends to wherever the seas shift and the land grows over. Keeper of the wilderness, he represents the wild creatures of nature, the rush of the angry rapids, and the heat-harried stillness of the desert. Many elves take up his worship, as do hunters of natural lands, accepting their guidance to exist harmoniously within savage lands. Those seeking safe passage across waters give prayers to the Green Shepherd to guide them. The druids of the Green Shepherd are known to be very territorial and are known for their aggressive pushback of civilization and its laws. They are known to destroy logging encampments, tear down mills, run farmers off of their land, and other such acts. Seem immortalized through wooden reliefs and carved idols in hidden, overgrown groves and rural shrines, the Green Shepherd is often depicted as a beautiful figure of green skin with curved ram’s horns, nearly swallowed by a wild, tangled wreath of hair, leaves, and vines that clothe his lithe form. The Green Shepherd’s holy day is Wild’s Grandeur, and is celebrated on the vernal equinox, usually the twentieth day of the third month. The people of the northern wilds celebrate the Green Shepherd's strength by going on a journey to a place of great natural beauty, like the top of a mountain waterfall, or the center of a forest. Wild Grandeur is rarely celebrated in settled lands, but some folks will plant trees or sometimes flowers in observance of the holiday. ''Commandments of the Green Shepherd * Protect the untamed wilderness of the realm from exploitation and destruction. * Slay abominations and other dark mockeries of nature. * Embrace and respect the savage nature of the world. Exist in harmony with it. The Knowing Lord (N) * Domains: Fate, Knowledge, Magic, Rune * Other Names: ''Boccob (Dharrenal), Aureon (Eleroth), Oghma (Maezar) Revered by seers, sages, and teachers of all walks of life, the Knowing Lord guided the growth of civilization through the ages like sunlight guides the branches of a tree. The Knowing Lord is said to possess a Book that tells the Fate of every mortal and every god, up to the end of time. He guards this book jealously, and he tells nobody what the pages of the book say. In the lore, the Dawnfather locked the Knowing Lord away in his Library for eternity when he discovered the Knowing Lord had known of the Titans’ betrayal before it happened and did nothing to stop it. According to the Knowing Lord, the sanctity of the timeline must be kept in balance and sometimes, there is no way to stop what is to come. This has earned him the title of “The Uncaring”. The Knowing Lord has no public holy day. ''Commandments of the Knowing Lord * Protect the sanctity of fate and the flow of time. Meddling in such affairs must be stopped at all costs. * Uphold and teach reason, perception, and truth in guiding one’s emotions and actions. * Never stop learning and never stop the pursuit of knowledge. The Lady of Coin (N) * Domains: Envy, Protection, Travel, Trade * Other Names: ''Waukeen (Dharrenal), Tymora (Eleroth), Kol Korran (Maezar) The Lady of Coin is the goddess of wealth, commerce, and merchants. Those that venerate her range from lowly peddlers to the wealthy owners of trading companies, investors, accountants, entrepreneurs, caravan guides, warehouse owners, philanthropists, deal-makers, moneylenders, and so on. But like all coins, she has another side, one that governs illicit trade, smugglers, fences, black marketeers, and "businessmen" on the shady side of commerce. The Lady of Coin is nearly always portrayed as a slender, young woman with long, lustrous golden hair; always splendidly dressed, and usually wearing garments of gold and silver. Another symbol often associated with her is the daffodil, which is used as a sign of hope, favor, or inspiration among her worshippers. She is an active and enthusiastic goddess who always encourages her people to accumulate as much wealth as they can while spending as little of it as they can get away with. She is known as a friend to the Lawbringer. Her temples often function as banks. Indeed, the Church of Coinmaiden was actually the largest bank in Dharrenal before the founding of the Iron Bank. Her primary holy day is known as Highcoin, which occurs on the thirtieth day of the fifth month. It is a festival marking the time for planning, the making of treaties, and agreements, and for the receiving of envoys from unknown lands and traditional foes. Much wine is drunk during the three-day festival, when "my enemy is like a brother to me". ''Commandments of the Lady of Coin * Trade is the best road to enrichment. Trade should always be encouraged, never restricted. * The bold find gold, the careful keep it, and the timid yield it. * Never do anything for free if you can help it. The Laughing Knave (CN) * Domains: Trickery, Madness, Luck, Song * Other Names: ''Olidimmara (Dharrenal), Cyric (Eleroth), Aravance (Maezar) Also known as “The Changebringer” and “The Trickster”, the Laughing Knave is the god of tricks, gamblers, revelry, thieves, and performers. He is famed in lore for his tricks and beguilements at the expense of his fellow gods. He’s often involved in the affairs of the other gods (and is often the one who instigates their problems in the first place). The Laughing Knavebelieves that ownership equals possession; anything taken from someone else was clearly not meant to belong to that person. Every member of the church tithes a portion of their take the church, giving thanks to his blessing and offering prayers for success on the next job. Offerings are always left anonymously by night on a small, inconspicuous shrine, and they always disappear by sunrise. The Laughing Knave has no holy text, but instead maintains hundreds of mutually contradictory collections of parables and bawdy songs. Any attempt to codify or reconcile these texts in anathema to the Laughing Knave’s creed, which teaches that chaos should be embraced. Shrines and temples to the Laughing Knave are rare, and never public; one has to know where to look and who to ask to find it. The Laughing Knave’s major holy day is New Dawn, and takes place on the first day of the new year. The day is usually celebrated with a large, midnight banquet that commonly features a short play that satirizes the changes of the past year. ''Commandments of the Laughing Knave * Life should be enjoyed and never taken too seriously. Make jokes and learn how to take them. * Temperance and solemnity are the poison of the soul. * The powerful and arrogant should be put in their place and humbled every so often. The Lawbringer (LN) * Domains: Artifice, Community, Law, Protection * Other Names: ''St. Cuthbert (Dharrenal), Abadar (Eleroth), Deneir (Maezar) Also known as the Lawbringer, Cuthbert is the driving inspiration behind many great inventions, the creation of vast cities, and the bringer of law and order within: Cuthbert claims dominion over civilization. Judges, lawyers, merchants, and rulers pay respect and muse at his temples, which stand as central structures to many cities across Tyrind. Peace, common sense, and order through structure and law guides the will of his devout followers. The Lawbringer has a tempestuous temper, and his knights are known to be fierce, well trained, and fearless. He is shown in most texts and statues as a hooded, armored man sitting atop a throne of pillars, his face generally obscured or depicted without expression. The impartial but imposing nature of his stature and presence is nearly always paramount in any visual representation. The Lawbringer's primary holy day is Civilization’s Dawn, and is celebrated on the autumnal equinox, usually the twenty-second day of the ninth month. In Tolstov, each neighborhood celebrates by dancing around great bonfires in the square and giving gifts to celebrate their communities. Donations to the local city watch and lawyer’s guild are very common on this day. ''Commandments of the Lawbringer * Embrace the company and aid of others. The efforts of the individual often pale against the capabilities of the community. * Strive to tame the wilds of the world in the name of civilization, and defend the points of light and order against the chaos of darkness. * Uphold and revere the spirit of invention. Create new places and colonies, build where inspiration hits, and expand the laws of the Lawbringer. The Moonweaver (CG) * Domains: Charm, Darkness, Dream, Trickery * Other Names: ''Sune (Dharrenal), Shelyn (Eleroth), Lliira (Maezar) The Moonweaver sends her will as the goddess of moonlight, art, the autumn season and, most famously, of love. She is known to protect the trysts of lovers with shadows of her own making. Those who work in darkness and trickery often ask for her blessing. Her depictions are as numerous as the myths and stories of her with meddling within simple unions. Despite this, she is often invoked to blessing marriages and is seen as a protector of pregnant women. She is often painted as a beautiful young woman with light blue skin and silver hair. The Moonweaver’s major holy day is called Lover’s Day, which is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the second month. It is a day to confess and celebrate love of all kinds, and on this day, it is customary to give a flower to the object of your affection. ''Commandments of the Moonweaver * Seize your own destiny by pursuing your passions. * Let the shadows protect you from the burning light of fanatical good and the absolute darkness of evil. * Walk unbridled and untethered, finding and forging new memories and experiences. The Music Maker (CG) * Domains: Air, Artifice, Charm, Music * Other Names: ''Feyender (Dharrenal), Cayden Cailean (Eleroth), Millil (Maezar) '' Also known as the Songlord, the Music Maker is the twin brother of the Moonweaver and a god of artistic creations of all kinds. He is often portrayed as a knave and a close friend of the Laughing Knave. The Music Maker's clergy are often eccentric artists, poets, philosophers, and inventors. Creativity and artistic innovation drive this religion and his temples often closely resemble art galleries. As his sister is the goddess of the moon, the Music Maker is known as a god of the stars. The Music Maker does not promote tradition and his dogma is loose, at best. The Music Maker says that art is the great equalizer. He encourages his worshippers to consider the world as unfinished, a continued process, an artistic work that is always being shaped and changed, so it's never too late to leave your mark on the world. The Music Maker's primary holy day is known as Eversong, and it is celebrated on the tenth day of the tenth month. It is a day celebrating the autumn, ushering out the old year and bringing in the new through a traditional song. It is customary for choirs to gather in town squares to lead the song. Commandments of the Music Maker * To make another feel something through your creation is the highest achievement. * Find your art and strive to enrich the world through your personal art. * Leave the world a better place than you found it. The Ocean Mistress (CN) * Domains: Luck,Travel, Water, Weather * Other Names: ''Melora (Dharrenal), Umberlee (Eleroth), Calistria (Maezar) The goddess of seas, rivers, rains, and water of all kinds, and also a goddess of storms. She is often worshipped in areas near water, and by those who travel and work around the water, such as sailors, fisherman, and divers. Sailors often make offerings to her before they embark on voyages. Her faith is loosely organized. The Ocean Mistress is known for being temperamental and mercurial, her wrath being incurred by the smallest of slights. She is accepting and fairly open, but she is easily offended. Offerings to her are always left in shrines found in docks or wharfs, or sometimes near a bridge. She prefers offerings of rum and tobacco over those of coin. The Ocean Mistress’s primary holiday is called Torrent’s Day. It is held the twentieth day on the sixth month, and usually involves music and rum around a river or lake, or a well in areas without ready access to a body of water. When possible, party ships and skiffs take to the water for those who can afford them. ''Commandments of the Ocean Mistress * Protect the waters of the world from destruction and overuse. * Coexist with the waterways and the creatures of the deep. * Do not fear or condemn the savagery of the seas. The Platinum Champion (LG) * Domains: Law, Good, Nobility, War * Other Names: ''Heironeous (Dharrenal), Iomadae (Eleroth), Dol Arrah (Maezar) The pillar of justice, protection, nobility, and honor, the Platinum Champion stands as a beacon to many warriors of order and good, and is revered by most knights and paladins. The crest of the Platinum Champion, a divine bolt of lightning held by silver hand, adorns the halls of many halls of high leadership and justice, his will expected present at all judgements. To follow him is to look after those who cannot look after themselves. The Platinum Champion's holy day is called Embertide, and is celebrated on the fifth day of the ninth month. This is a day of remembrance, solemnity, and respect to those who have fallen in the defense of others or in the pursuit of higher justice. ''Commandments of the Platinum Champion * Stand as a paragon of honor and justice. * Strike down evil wherever it is found, yet show compassion to those who have strayed from righteousness. * Defend the weak, bring freedom to those without, and protect the ideals of just order. The Raven Queen (LN) * Domains: Darkness, Death, Fate, Winter * Other Names: ''Pharasma (Eleroth), Auril (Maezar) Mistress over the skein of fate and the lady of winter, the Raven Queen stands as the goddess of death. Her gaze follows and marks the end of each mortal life, watching over the transition between life and death and ensuring the natural transition is undefiled. Many funerals call to her blessings in hopes that she will protect the deceased from the terrible curse of undeath. Few visual depictions of the Raven Queen exist, with many temples simply using the image of a raven as a symbol of her blessing. Those that do depict her show a tall, slender, pale woman wrapped in dangling black linens, her onyx-black hair straight and never ending, her face often obscured by a white, porcelain mask. The Raven Queen’s primary holy day is the Night of Crows. The day is celebrated on the thirteenth day of the tenth month. The day is celebrated by honoring the dead with music, sweets, and the wearing of masks. Many people see this celebration of the dead to be unnerving and macabre, but the Raven Queen’s followers believe the honored dead would rather be venerated with cheer, not misery. ''Commandments of the Raven Queen * Death is the natural end of life. There is no pity for those who have fallen. * The path of death is sacred. Those who pridefully attempt to cast off death to live forever must be punished. * Undeath is an atrocity. Those who would pervert the transition of the soul must be brought down. The Stormlord (CG) * Domains: Destruction, Glory, Strength, Weather * Other Names: ''Kord (Dharrenal), Talos (Eleroth), Gorum (Maezar) Where thunder cracks and conflict rises, prayers to Kord are shouted into the maelstrom. the Stormlord's followers revel in all tests of strength, and his blessing finds those who prove themselves on the battlefield. He is worshipped by athletes and warriors across Tyrind, and his will exalts those whose force of spirit and penchant for victory call his attention. He brings tumultuous storms over land and sea, and those who wish for clearer skies offer their praises and prayers in hopes of appeasing his will. The Stormlord’s holy day is the Day of Challenging, and is celebrated on the seventh day of the third month. The Day of Challenging is one of the most raucous holidays in Tyrind, and thousands of spectators attend the annual Godsbrawl held in the grand Stadium of the Stormlord to root for dozens of warriors who battle to become his Chosen. ''Commandments of the Stormlord * Bravery above all. There is no glory in cowardice. * Strength is the path to greatness, but greatness is the responsible use of strength. * The glory of Kord lives through your glory on the battlefield. The Traveler (N) * Domains: Liberation, Protection, Travel, Weather * Other Names: ''Fharlanghn (Dharrenal), Shaundakul (Eleroth), Fysi (Maezar) Also known as “The Dweller on the Horizon” and “The Farstrider”, the Traveler is the god of travel, horizons, and roads. His wayside shrines are common on well-used roads. He is said to be constantly traveling across the cosmos and his philosophy teaches that it takes understanding of all sides of an argument to reach the proper decision. The Traveler is prayed to by travelers of all colors, no matter what path they follow or how they’re getting there. He insists that people need to move around and experience new things. The state of the world is not fixed, and you never know when you might need a new perspective or even a new home. Look to the horizon for inspiration. His devout followers travel the world, always seeking out new things. His priests favor simple clothing and bless caravans and expeditions. They often serve as translators and impartial observers in disputes and negotiations. The Traveler does not have many temples or churches dedicated to him. Wayside shrines to him are common, especially at major crossroads, ports, bridges, and near the gates of most cities or towns. It is also not uncommon to see wagons containing mobile shrines to the god. His major holiday is known as the Day of Miles. Ironically, it is not a day of travel, but a day of rest. On this holiday, all travelers are expected to rest their feet and talk with other travelers, exchanging tales of distant horizons and faraway places. ''Commandments of the Traveler * Travel wide and far, see all there is to see, and do not stop until you reach the horizon. * Be open to new cultures and experiences. No culture or tradition is better or worse than any other. * Oppose and destroy slavery and those who would enslave another wherever you find them. The Wildmother (NG) * Domains: Animals, Celerity, Plants, War Also known as the Huntress, the Wildmother is a goddess of the hunt, of beasts, and of the wilderness. Unlike the Green Shepherd, she is said to have a love for mortals, and a fierce hatred of the undead. The Wildmother is seen as both a provider and a protector. Oak groves and deer are especially sacred to her. The Wildmother watches over all people who live in the forest, those who love the woodlands, and those who make their livelihoods there. She promotes healthy, careful, and respectful use of the lands and her followers honor beasts and unspoiled wildlands. Animals are known to wander freely through her temples, which exist almost exclusively in quiet, rural areas near wilderness expanses. Churches of the Wildmother are known to provide food for those who have little. Her primary holy day is known as the Grey Hunt, and it is celebrated on the first day of summer. On this day, which is usually only celebrated in smaller cities or rural communities, a great hunt is held where hunters compete to bring back the largest specimen of a species named at the beginning of the hunt. The meat is then prepared, shared with the community, and then stored for further use. Commandments of the Wildmother * Thank the land for its bounty, but do not be greedy. Take only what you need, and give the rest to those who need it. * Do not give undue harm to any animal or tree. * Defend the natural things of the world, and fight against the unnatural with all of your strength. The Titans Those known as the Titans are the deities who strayed from the ideals of the gods, and were corrupted by the destructive chaos of the Primordials. Rarely do the Titans work together, considering each others threats more than allies. Their names are never uttered and they are known only by titles, when they are spoken of at all. Known Titans * The Drowned One (NE) * The Lord of the Hells (LE) * The Queen of Dragons (CE) * The Ravager (CE) * The Spider Queen (LE)